Court-house



(No Model.)

B. W. MESSMORE'.

CONVERTIBLE HAMMOOK AND CHAIR.

No. 402,469. Patented Apr. 30., 1889.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

RIENZI W. MESSMORE, OF WASHINGTON COURT-HOUSE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO JNO. F. DENNIS, OF SAME-PLACE.

I CONVERTIBLE HAMMOCK AND CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,469, dated April30, 1889.

Application filed August 22, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RIENZI W. MESSMORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington Court-House, in the county of Fayette and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inConvertible Hammocks and Chairs; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear. and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a hammock that can be adjustedand adapted for use as a chair, swinging cradle, or swing, and to securethese several uses in a simplified construction, which shall be secureand firm, easy of adjustment, cheap in construction, and light andcompact in form; and the invention consists in the matters hereinafterdescribed and particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of mydevice. Fig. 2 is a detail representing a modification. Fig. 3 is aperspective view on a smaller scale, showing the device adjusted to beused as a seat; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modifi; cation.

The numeral 1 indicates a frame, represented as rectangular in thepresent instance, and 2 denotes an open-work fabric such as isordinarily used in hammocks. Any flexible material of sufficienttenacity would operate; but that indicated is especially suitable. Thenetting or other fabric is secured to the end piecesof the frame bymeans of some stout fabric, 3, wrapped about these pieces, to whichfabric the netting is firmly attached by sewing orin any convenientmanner. It can be fastened to thelside bars of the frame in similarmanner, or preferably by overlaying the edge with a strip, 4., of strongmaterial and tacking this strip and the underlying edge of the nettingto the side bars on the inner side.

In some cases it is intended to extend the fabric which surroundseach'cross-bar toward the transverse center of the frame, as indicatedat 15. This will provide a close support for the feet in reclining, orconstitute a seat when the device is adjusted to be used as a chair, andat the opposite end such an ex- Serial No. 283}4='74. (No model.)

tension, if used, will receive the head or a pillow when desired. As themain function of the frame is to keep the netting extended, it can, ifdesired, be made of small rods of light Wood, cane, or similar material,in which case it might not be desirable to connect the side and end barsby framing them together, as represented. They could, however, be lashedtogether by the cords, substantially as indicated, special care beingtakento make the connection secure. If such light rods are used foreither side bar, they will preferably be entirely enveloped by thenetting or fabric to which the netting is secured,'which will render thedevice as safe as an ordinary hammock, even though one or more of therods were accidentally broken.

For convenience in transportation, the frame may be made easilyseparable at the corners, so that the whole device can be securely andcompactly tied in a bundle. Made separable,

the end pieces can be slipped out of the fabric envelope 3, which shouldnot embrace the end pieces so closely as to prevent their ready removaland reintroduction.

The end bars can be inserted in a hem of the fabric, and, if desired,can be slipped through the holes in the side bars. They will thus bereadily removable, and the extensions 14 of the front bar can be made tosupport the foot-rest ropes in its operative posit-ion. The side barsmay be prevented from slipping too far onto the end bar by anywell-known means. Through this loop is passed a cord, 7, each end ofwhich is attached to the frame by tying or otherwise. Preferably theyare tied about both the side and end bars, as represented, in order tosupport and strengthen the joint or connection between theseparts. Ashorter cord, 8, is attached to the opposite end of the frame in asimilar manner. This cord is provided with a hook, 9, and around thishook' and cord 8, at the middle of the latter, where it receives the eyeof the hook, is wound a cord, 10, which holds the hook in place on cord8 and prevents the opening or spreading of the body of the hook whenmade of bent wire. Cord 10 is passed through the loop 6, and is madesufficiently long that its free end may extend below the hook, and it isprovided with loops or rings considerable friction.

11 in any convenient number for engaging the hook, as indicated.

The device, being suspended by the cord 5 in a position represented infull lines, is in position for use as a hammock or cradle. When desired,it can be raised to an inclined position by drawing cord 10 through ring6 and connecting an upper loop, 11, with the hook. \Vhen raised so thatthe frame makes an angle with the horizontal plane of about forty-livedegrees or more, the article can be used as a chair.

A foot-rest is indicated at 12, supported by cords 13, attached to cords7, as shown. When the device is used as a hammock: or cradle, thisfoot-rest can be suspended belowand out of the way, as represented infull lines; but when it is needed to support the feet of the occupant,as may happen when it is adjusted for use as a chair, the cords 13 arepassed over and supported upon the extensions 14 of the endcross-pieces; or these cords may be placed within the side pieces andrest upon the body of said end pieces.

The foot-rcst is not essential under all circumstances, as the devicemay be suspended sufiiciently near the earth or near a floor or othersupport to permit the feet of one reclining or sitting in it to restupon the same.

In Fi 2 is represented a modification which provides a pulley for cord10 to pass over. In operation the pulley would obviate The constructionis such that the occupant of the hammock can adjust it readily withoutleaving it.

It is obvious that either ropes or chains can be used, and that metallicor other rings can be substituted for loops (3 or 11, and that the cordsor other suspending devices can be secured to the frame and to thefoot-rest by eyebolts or similar means; but it is preferred to dispensewith metallic connections so far as practicable, and that is one objectof the improvements, as thereby economy in manufacture, security in use,freedom from corrosion, and greater levity are attained.

It will be understood that the device can be used as a swing in anyposition to which it may be adjusted, and that it permits a rotary aswell as oscillatory motion, which lat- -ter may be sidewise, if desired,and all of which can, if desired, be controlledby pulling guide-cords.(Not shown.)

It may be also noted that the frame-work obviates the collapsing of thenetting upon an occupant, which is a disagreeable feature in the use ofthe ordinary hammock, and at the same time the frame allows the use ofthe flexible open-work netting so desirable in devices of this generalcharacter. All unnecessary and cumbersome joints and hinges and devicesfor adjusting or extending rigid parts are avoided, the variousadjustments of positions being effected by the use of the hook and loopdescribed and by varying the lengths of the ropes by suitably tying thesame.

The single suspending-hook rope will be found convenient in manysituations where the double suspension of an ordinary hammock cannoteasily be provided, and this allows the occupant to readily face in anydesired direction.

The device can be arranged for storage or transportation in compact formby simply placing all the ropes and the foot-rest (when used) on thenetting, and if the frame is made separable at the corners it can betaken apart and the frame-bars and netting can be rolled together andsecured in a compact bundle.

It is obvious that the netting can be secured to the frame in otherwell-known ways, and also that either end of the frame, when suspended,can be raised by winding the suspending-cords about the frame at thepoint of their connection to the same.

Heretofore hammocks have been adjustably suspended by cords from twopoints, and they have also been provided with jointed frames to which aflexible fabric was secured at the ends, and adjustable foot-rests havealso been used, and such matters are not of my invention. Myhammock-frame is made rigid and has a flexible fabric secured at boththe ends and sides,which would be impracticable in connection with ajointed frame; and, further, the hammock isadjustably suspended by thesecords from a single support,which cords also support a foot-rest, whichcan be placed in position to support the feet by arranging itssupporting-cords over one end of the frame, or dropped entirely out ofthe way,

the whole construction being very simple,

while securing many of the advantages of prior devices and others whichare entirely new.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure byLetters Patent is 1. The convertible hammock and chair, consisting ofthe rigid frame-work, the netting secured to the same at. both the endsand sides, the suspending-ropes secured to each end of the frame, one ofwhich ropes is provided with loops 11 and with a ring or loop, 9, foradjusting the inclination of the 11ammock, and a ring or loop, 6,through which the suspending-ropes are passed, substantially asspecified.

2. In a hammock, the rigid frame, the netting attached thereto,suspending-cords fastened around the frame-work connections at thecorners of the frame, one of which is provided with a hook and loops orrings 11, and a supporting-rope, 5, substantially as specified, wherebythe cords that suspend the frame serve to strengthen it at its corners,and whereby the hammock is made adjustable and suspended from a singlepoint.

3. In a hammock, the rigid frame having the ends of the front end barprojecting from the sides thereof, the suspending cords or ropes securedto the frame at the front, the

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cord attached to the opposite end of the frame, provided with a hook andrings, a suspending loop or ring, and the foot-rest supported by cordsattached to the front suspendingropes and adapted to hang outside thehammock-frame, all combined substantially as specified, wherebythe-foot-rest may be ar ranged to hang over and rest upon an end bar ofthe frame, or may be dropped beneath it and be suspended directly fromthe main suspendingcords by simply manipulating saidfoot-rest-supporting cords.

4. In a convertible hammock and chair having a rigid framehavingthe endsof the front end bar projecting from the sides thereof, a singlesupport, as cord 5,the several suspending-cords, and the foot-restsupported by cords attached to two of said suspending-cords at a pointabove the frame, all combined substantially as specified,whereby thefoot-rest cords can be made to depend either from the framebars, so asto conveniently receive the feet of an occupant, or directly from thepoints of suspension above the frame, so as to hang beneath the hammock,substantially as specified. v

5. In a convertible hammock and chair, the several suspending-cords andthe supporting loop or ring 6, in combination with an adjustablesuspending-cord, 10, provided with loops or rings 11, and a hook, 9,said hook being secured to a transverse suspending-cord, as 8, and to anend of the adjustable cord having the rings by a part of said cord,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

RIENZI W. MESSMORE.

\Vitnesses:

ORVILLE D. SMITH, J12, FRANK A. GHAFFIN.

